Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 614

572

Defense of an Essay, &c.

Nov.

Shángti the true God (God propriè)? and, Are the Chinese shin gods and not mere spirits? we should determine what are the characteristics of a Being, who is truly and properly God; and also of a being, who is a god according to the polytheistic sense of the word; and then use these characteristics as tests to ascertain whether the Tien of the classics and the Chinese shin are respectively God (propriè) and gods. Unless we consent to this, our discussions will only lead to endless logomachy.

When we contend that the shin are the gods of the Chinese, Dr. Medhurst replies that they are mere spirits, not gods; the Chinese are polypneumatists, not polytheists. To settle the point, we must inquire what is the characteriSTIC difference between a spirit and a god?

The word God, whether used propriè or impropriè, is closely allied to the word spirit; spirit may be called the genus; God, god, gods, the species. This we soon perceive if we attempt to form a defini- tion of the word God, when used propriè. No matter what attributes of power, wisdom, &c., we may ascribe to a being, if this being be material or corporeal, he is not God (propriè); to be God he must be a spirit possessed of certain characteristic attributes. Let us then look into the matter minutely, and endeavor to ascertain, 1st, The characteristic difference between a being who is truly and properly God, and a mere spirit; and 2dly, The characteristic difference be- tween a god, gods, as these words are used by polytheists, and mere spirits.

To the question, “What is God?" the Westminister Assembly of Divines in their Larger Catechism, answer, “God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all suf- ficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."

Melancthon defines the word, "Deus est essentia spiritualis, intelli- gens, verax, bona, pura, justa, misericors, liberrima, immensiæ poten- tiæ et sapientiæ, Pater æternus qui Filium imaginem suam ab eterno genuit, et Filium imago Patris coæterna, et Spiritus sanctus procedens a Patre et Filio.”

The first article of the Church of England reads as follows: "There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or passions, of infinite power, wisdain, and goodness, the maker and pre- server of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this